iBasso DX160 - The listening experience only gets better and better. ******NEW FW 1.09 - link 1st page.******
Sep 11, 2020 at 4:49 PM Post #4,697 of 6,983
Is there a way to rearrange the order in which songs appear in a play list?
Are you talking about mango player? Choose three vertical dots and you will see options
 

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Sep 11, 2020 at 9:39 PM Post #4,698 of 6,983
Hi guys. I'm in the market for new DAP( last dap I had was a 2007 Cowon D2).Please help me with advice. My main concern is Sound Quality, how is DX 160 compares to Cowon Plenue D2 or other similar DAPs(200-400$ price range) in terms of SQ?
Thank you for reading my message

I didn't get to compare sound but I chose the DX160 because I prefer a 4.4 connector over 2.5 and using USB Audio Player Pro I can use replaygain for playback, something I think the D2 doesn't support. Hope this info is useful!
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 2:58 AM Post #4,700 of 6,983
Thank you for reply. I wish I could compare the sounds of both , but seems like not gonna happen
At this price level of DAP your comparing Shades of Vanilla in terms of Sound. Especially when you consider it’s the earbuds and Headphones that shape the overall sound coming out the devices.

I choose this DAP based on its functionality, DAC Chip, Max DSD rate, MQA and Storage.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 3:16 AM Post #4,701 of 6,983
At this price level of DAP your comparing Shades of Vanilla in terms of Sound.
You are most certainly not. Daps can vary by a large amount at ANY price range.

Some are warmer, some brighter. Some have better soundstage/detail/features than competing Daps in the price range. Some come with unique features like Cayin's N3 Pro that has switchable vacuum tube amplification and so on.

Reading reviews and getting a general idea of how the two Daps compare is important, especially sound wise.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 3:25 AM Post #4,702 of 6,983
At this price level of DAP your comparing Shades of Vanilla in terms of Sound. Especially when you consider it’s the earbuds and Headphones that shape the overall sound coming out the devices.

I choose this DAP based on its functionality, DAC Chip, Max DSD rate, MQA and Storage.
So all DAPs in this price range sound kinda same?
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 3:28 AM Post #4,703 of 6,983
You are most certainly not. Daps can vary by a large amount at ANY price range.

Some are warmer, some brighter. Some have better soundstage/detail/features than competing Daps in the price range. Some come with unique features like Cayin's N3 Pro that has switchable vacuum tube amplification and so on.

Reading reviews and getting a general idea of how the two Daps compare is important, especially sound wise.
Out of DX160 , hiby r3pro sabre and cowon plenue d2 which one has better sound quality?( I'm not into any other futures)
 
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Sep 12, 2020 at 3:54 AM Post #4,704 of 6,983
Out of DX160 , hiby r3pro sabre and cowon plenue d2 which one has better sound quality?( I'm not into any other futures)
No idea about the Plenue D2 but the Hiby R3 Pro is a tier below the DX160, The DX160 is competing with the likes of the Hiby R6 Pro in terms of sound.

Edit:
No direct comparisons of the Plenue D2 vs the DX160 but heres an exerpt from twister6's review of the Plenue R2

https://twister6.com/2020/02/22/cowon-plenue-r2/4/
R2 vs iBasso DX160 – a lot of similarities in this comparison, starting with the soundstage which is identical in both DAPs. Tonal balance is nearly the same as well, being more balanced, more natural, and quite detailed. But I do hear DX160 with better dynamics (vertical expansion) and with some improvements in layering and separation of sounds.

So given the DX160 even beats the higher tier Plenue R2 theres reason to believe the DX160 will be much better than the D2.
 
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Sep 12, 2020 at 4:39 AM Post #4,705 of 6,983
You are most certainly not. Daps can vary by a large amount at ANY price range.

Some are warmer, some brighter. Some have better soundstage/detail/features than competing Daps in the price range. Some come with unique features like Cayin's N3 Pro that has switchable vacuum tube amplification and so on.

Reading reviews and getting a general idea of how the two Daps compare is important, especially sound wise.
What I mean is the Quality if the Sound coming out the DAPS will be High Quality Sound, your not going to be buying a old mono Transistor Radio as the DAPs are more HIFI now.
The big difference is their ability to drive the listening device at your appropriate listening level.
It’s very hard to find reviews of DAPS with exactly the same setup as you will have unless your using one of the mass produced earpieces and even then it’s not matching ears doing the listening and often the music they’re often doing the testing with is stuff I wouldn’t Listen too.

The headphones and earphones, in ear monitors have a huge impact on the sound eventually reaching your ear and that doesn’t take into account the difference in tonal sensitivity between different peoples ears (probably why so many people want EQ in their DAPS) and the drive ability comes down to the amplification stage and not the DAC. I can totally change the sound of my DAP by swapping headphones or iem’s.
That’s why I say choosing a DAP now often comes down to choosing it for the Features, 6 months from now your DAC in the DAP will no longer be the ‘Best In Market‘ as it will be superceded by the Latest Fad DAC.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 5:16 AM Post #4,706 of 6,983
What I mean is the Quality if the Sound coming out the DAPS will be High Quality Sound, your not going to be buying a old mono Transistor Radio as the DAPs are more HIFI now.
The big difference is their ability to drive the listening device at your appropriate listening level.
It’s very hard to find reviews of DAPS with exactly the same setup as you will have unless your using one of the mass produced earpieces and even then it’s not matching ears doing the listening and often the music they’re often doing the testing with is stuff I wouldn’t Listen too.

The headphones and earphones, in ear monitors have a huge impact on the sound eventually reaching your ear and that doesn’t take into account the difference in tonal sensitivity between different peoples ears (probably why so many people want EQ in their DAPS) and the drive ability comes down to the amplification stage and not the DAC. I can totally change the sound of my DAP by swapping headphones or iem’s.
That’s why I say choosing a DAP now often comes down to choosing it for the Features, 6 months from now your DAC in the DAP will no longer be the ‘Best In Market‘ as it will be superceded by the Latest Fad DAC.
That couldn't be further from the truth. Sure new dacs can come out but as any audiophile knows, implementation is key. Heck, most dacs being used in new players
were released many years ago. A dap using a newer dac doesn't mean it will sound better. The audio industry is much much different than other industries. You can't quantify how good a player is by the specs they have.

And you dont need the reviewer to have the same iem as you do. Its a non-issue as most reviewers will just use a specific pair of iems when comparing two daps. The pairing section is mostly to let people know if X Dap can power Y headphone properly or if X Dap has hissing when paired with Z sensitive iem.

And yes, the headphones/iems used will still affect the sound the most, as it should. But that doesn't mean a Dap can't affect the sound significantly. Sure some are neck and neck in a price range but there are daps that punch above their weight, the DX160 being one such dap.

If you're going to spend X amount of money on a dap, why not spend it on the one that gives you the best sound quality? As long as it has the features you want and fulfills all your needs.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 6:09 AM Post #4,707 of 6,983
That couldn't be further from the truth. Sure new dacs can come out but as any audiophile knows, implementation is key. Heck, most dacs being used in new players
were released many years ago. A dap using a newer dac doesn't mean it will sound better. The audio industry is much much different than other industries. You can't quantify how good a player is by the specs they have.

And you dont need the reviewer to have the same iem as you do. Its a non-issue as most reviewers will just use a specific pair of iems when comparing two daps. The pairing section is mostly to let people know if X Dap can power Y headphone properly or if X Dap has hissing when paired with Z sensitive iem.

And yes, the headphones/iems used will still affect the sound the most, as it should. But that doesn't mean a Dap can't affect the sound significantly. Sure some are neck and neck in a price range but there are daps that punch above their weight, the DX160 being one such dap.

If you're going to spend X amount of money on a dap, why not spend it on the one that gives you the best sound quality? As long as it has the features you want and fulfills all your needs.
Yes as I said the Ability to Drive your listening device at your listening level, that’s not down to the DAC it’s the implementation of the associated electronics.
What surprised me most about using earphones/iems was the sound changing dramatically by changing the Tips alone.

I agree if you have a set budget why not go for the best sound you can get.
What I find strange is comparison between players( at substantially) different price levels by over 1/3 extra. As far as I’m concerned a price differential of more than £50 takes to a different expectation level.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 7:44 AM Post #4,708 of 6,983
So all DAPs in this price range sound kinda same?
Nope: Strong Vanilla, mild Vanilla, Bitter Vanilla, Sweet Vanilla but they will all be HIFI Quality ‘Vanilla’. The choice ‘comes down to a combination of your ear sensitivity, bass desire (natural/ over emphasised), drive demands and sensitivity of your earphones/iems. Music choice also makes a big difference too how you want your player biased.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 8:39 AM Post #4,709 of 6,983
What I find strange is comparison between players( at substantially) different price levels by over 1/3 extra. As far as I’m concerned a price differential of more than £50 takes to a different expectation level.
Not necessarily. Here are my observations. There are different price tiers that have a cleaner break between them. It gets more blurred together the higher up you go.

Sub $100 daps - Entry level
$100-250 daps - Budget
$250-$700 dap - Midrange
$700-$1500 daps - Mid-high end
$1500-$2500 daps - High end
$2500-$3500+ daps - Summit fi

Don't mind the names, there aren't any that are really agreed upon but are just there to give a general idea.

Again, its not that simple, especially at the lower price ranges where companies constantly work to leapfrog each other.

And there are always good and bad players with each iteration. Just because ibasso made one of the best daps in this price category doesn't mean they will still be the king next time. The Cayin N5ii was king of midrange daps last gen, but after the release of new daps like the FiiO M11, Shanling M6 and DX160 compounded by the fact re-released it as the $500 N5iiS (was $369) it dropped right to the bottom of the price range.

Don't get me wrong, it still sounds good and can still compete well if it was still priced at $369. But at $500? Not a chance.
 
Sep 12, 2020 at 1:36 PM Post #4,710 of 6,983
Not necessarily. Here are my observations. There are different price tiers that have a cleaner break between them. It gets more blurred together the higher up you go.

Sub $100 daps - Entry level
$100-250 daps - Budget
$250-$700 dap - Midrange
$700-$1500 daps - Mid-high end
$1500-$2500 daps - High end
$2500-$3500+ daps - Summit fi

Don't mind the names, there aren't any that are really agreed upon but are just there to give a general idea.

Again, its not that simple, especially at the lower price ranges where companies constantly work to leapfrog each other.

And there are always good and bad players with each iteration. Just because ibasso made one of the best daps in this price category doesn't mean they will still be the king next time. The Cayin N5ii was king of midrange daps last gen, but after the release of new daps like the FiiO M11, Shanling M6 and DX160 compounded by the fact re-released it as the $500 N5iiS (was $369) it dropped right to the bottom of the price range.

Don't get me wrong, it still sounds good and can still compete well if it was still priced at $369. But at $500? Not a chance.
I still think the budget can be broken down further as the price range between $250 and $700 is huge. If I only have $370 to spend and that’s me maxed out, reading reviews of $700 daps isn’t doing me any favours. That’s why I bought the DX160 at its price (and as far as I’m concerned: Best Bang For Buck at that moment in time) but if I had $700 to spend I would have bought something else or bought the DX160 and put the $350 towards the Empyrean Fund
(Currently at $0.0 so long way to go)
 

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